Sheet-music-leaf turner



June 17 1924.

1,498,187 J. W. MEGGERS SHEET MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed Aug. 7, i922 Patented June 17, 1924.

JOHN W. MEGGERS, OF SHEBOYGAN, 'WISCONSIN.

SHEET-MUSIG-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,192.

To (4U whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN TV. Mneonns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Music-Leaf Turners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The invention relates to music leaf turners adapted to be used by pianists, organists, and'other musicians, for turning the sheets of music.

It comprises a support adapted to be conveniently affixed to a music board on a piano or other music rest, a number of retainers, in each of which a sheet of music may be inserted, and means for conveniently rotating the retainers singly about a pivot to turn the music.

I The primary object of the invention is the provision of a music turner, manipulable with especial convenience. The device is operable by a slight movement of the hand of the player, which releases a dog and permits a retainer to move on a pivot, the reretainer being actuated by a spring. The operation requires but av moment of time and the movement of the hand is so slight that there is substantially no interruption of the playing. The invention is rapid in its operation and reliable. The release of a. retainer by the hand of a player effectuates immediately, and without danger of mishap, turning of the music. There is no danger of a catching of parts, such as would necessitate the movement of the hands of the player from the musical instrument to turn the music.

An object of the invention is the provision of a construction which is readily affixable to and removable from the music board of a piano, and other rests for music. There is no danger of scratching the surface of the board, rubber contacts being interposed between the turner and the board.

Further obj ects are simplicity of construction and ease of manufacture, the invention being made up of a minimum number of parts.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understod that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within'the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for thepractical application of the principles thereof, and in which: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the music turner applied to a music board.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

The music turner is provided with an elongated support 10 having a contact button 11 adjacent its upper end adapted to abut against the music board 12 and prevent the scratching thereof. The support is provided with an enlargement 18 inwardly ,directed from its lower end and having a rub ber tooth 14 thereon adapted to be received in a trough formed in the shelf 15 of themusic board. An ear 16 is extended forwardly from the lower end of support 10 and carries a pivot 17, on which catch 18 ismovable, the catch being split intermedia-tely so as to straddle the car 16.

Catch 18 carries a rubber tooth 19, similar to tooth 14:, adapted to contact with the lower surface of shelf 15. V also an elongated lever 20 pivoted at 21 and limited in pivotal movement by stop 22 adapted to abut against dog 23 integral with lever 20 and spaced rearwardly a short distance from finger 241 50 that the dog and finger constitute a substantiallv U-shaped formation. Dog 23 may remain normally in contact with stop 22 by reason of the action of a spring 25, one end of which contacts with the lower face of lever 20, and the other end of which is secured to catch 18, the spring being wound about pivot 17. The tension of the spring is operative therefore to maintain rubber tooth 19 in contact with shelf 15 and to support lever 20 in its uppermost position.

Obviously handle 26 may be conveniently manipulated against the tension of spring 25 to rotate catch 18 on pivot 17 Thus support 10 may be readily secured to or removed from the music board 12.

Support 10 has secured thereto upper and Ear 16 carries lower fixtures 2727, holding in place a rod 28 running longitudinally of the support. Immediately adjacent the support are a series of retainers 2929-29 Each of these retainers is slotted longitudinally to form a recess for the reception of a sheet of music. The innermost retainer lies against the support 10 and is provided with a pair of brackets 30 which extend about a corner of the support and are apertured to receive rod 28. A pair of springs 31 are provided, each of which is wound about rod 28 and has one end secured to bracket 30, the other end being adapted to contact with support 10. Thus the tendency of the springs 31 is to rotate retainer 29 about rod 28 in a direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3.

Retainer 29 is superimposed on retainer 29 and has asimilar pair of brackets 32 and similar springs. Retainer 29 is provided also with brackets and springs and is outwardly disposed with respect to retainer 29. Each of the retainers is cut away to receive the ends of leaf springs 33, which are secured to the retainers adjacent the ends thereof and are adapted to contact with and hold in place the sheets of music 34 disposed in the recesses in the retainers.

As shown in Figure 1, finger 24: is adapted to contact with the lower end of outermost retainer 29" and prevent the rotation thereof about rod 28 under the influence of the springs. When the player wishes to turnthe sheet of music 34 carried by the "retainer 29", he depresses manually the lever 20 which rotates on pivot 21. As finger 24 moves to position to release retainer 29", dog 23 is moved upwardly and brought into position to prevent movement of the adjacent retainer 29. It will be noted that retainers 29 and 29 are cut away angularly at their lower ends so as to facilitate the upward movement of dog 23 between the retainers.

After the release of the retainer 29" and its rotation to the position shown in Figure 3, release of pressure on lever 20 permits spring 25 to return the lever to its uppermost position in which finger 24: is operative to prevent rotary movement of the adjacent retainer 29, It is apparent that, depression of lever 20 again will operate to release retainer 29, dog 23 operating to prevent movement of retainer 29. It is apparent therefore that depression of lever 20 operates to release the retainer disposed immediately adjacent finger 24:.

The depression of the lever may be effected conveniently by a slight movement of the hand of the player. In the case of a piano, the lever would be near to the keyboard. Thus, by the use of the device, a player is enabled to conveniently turn the music substantially with no interruption of the oper-.

ation of playing.

It is apparent that the sheets of music 3 1 may be conveniently inserted into the retainers, springs 33 being capable of deflection to receive the music. The slots in the retainers terminate immediately above the bottom ends so that the position of the music is determined by the terminus of the slots.

Enlargement 13 is provided with a groove 35 for the reception of a sheet 36 of music, which, at its upper end, may rest upon board 12. Thus, after the turning of retainer 29, sheet 36 is revealed to the player.

I claim I I w The combination of a music board, a

shelf thereon, a support, a tooth on said support adapted to contact with the upper surface of said shelf, a catch pivoted to the simultaneously to maintain said catch in" gripping position and support said lever in position to prevent rotation of said outermost retainer.- 1 V In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin.

JOHN w. MEGGERS. 

